South Kingstown Nursing and Rehabilitati

EWG's drinking water quality report shows
results of tests conducted by the water utility and provided to the Environmental Working Group by the Rhode Island Department of Health, as well as
information from the U.S. EPA Enforcement and Compliance History database (ECHO). For the latest quarter assessed by the U.S. EPA (January 2019 - March 2019), tap water provided by this water utility was in compliance with federal health-based drinking water standards.

Utility Details

South Kingstown, Rhode Island

Serves: 175

Data available: 2012—2017

Source: Groundwater

Contaminants Detected

5

EXCEEDEWG HEALTHGUIDELINES

8 Total Contaminants

Legal does not necessarily equal safe. Getting a passing grade from the federal government does not mean the water meets the latest health guidelines.

Legal limits for contaminants in tap water have not been updated in almost 20 years.

The best way to ensure clean tap water is to keep pollution out of source water in the first place.

Chromium (hexavalent)

Chromium (hexavalent)

Chromium (hexavalent) is a carcinogen that commonly contaminates American drinking water. Chromium (hexavalent) in drinking water may be due to industrial pollution or natural occurrences in mineral deposits and groundwater. Read more about chromium (hexavalent).

Chromium (hexavalent) was found at 4.8 times above EWG's Health Guideline.

EWG Health Guideline

0.02 ppb or less

This Utility

0.0967 ppb

National Average

0.492 ppb

State Average

0.0455 ppb

NO LEGAL LIMIT

The state and national averages were calculated using the averages of the contaminant measurements for each utility in 2012-2017. ppb = parts per billion

Health Risks

The EWG Health Guideline of 0.02 ppb for chromium (hexavalent) was defined by the California Office of Environmental Health Hazard Assessment as a public health goal, the level of a drinking water contaminant that does not pose a significant health risk. This health guideline protects against cancer.

Filtering Options

Nitrate

Nitrate

Nitrate, a fertilizer chemical, frequently contaminates drinking water due to agricultural and urban runoff, and discharges from municipal wastewater treatment plants and septic tanks. Excessive nitrate in water can cause oxygen deprivation in infants and increase the risk of cancer. Click here to read more about nitrate.

Nitrate was found at 8.7 times above EWG's Health Guideline.

EWG Health Guideline

0.14 ppm or less

This Utility

1.22 ppm

Legal Limit

10 ppm

National Average

0.937 ppm

State Average

0.68 ppm

The state and national averages were calculated using the averages of the contaminant measurements for each utility in 2015-2017. ppm = parts per million

Health Risks

The EWG Health Guideline of 0.14 ppm for nitrate was defined by EWG . This health guideline protects against cancer and harm to fetal growth and development.

Nitrate and nitrite

Nitrate and nitrite

Nitrate and nitrite enter water from fertilizer runoff, septic tanks and urban runoff. These contaminants can cause oxygen deprivation for infants and increase the risk of cancer. Nitrite is significantly more toxic than nitrate. Click here to read more about nitrate.

Nitrate and nitrite was found at 8.7 times above EWG's Health Guideline.

EWG Health Guideline

0.14 ppm or less

This Utility

1.22 ppm

Legal Limit

10 ppm

National Average

0.891 ppm

State Average

1.8 ppm

The state and national averages were calculated using the averages of the contaminant measurements for each utility in 2015-2017. ppm = parts per million

Health Risks

The health guideline of 0.14 parts per million, or ppm, for nitrate and nitrite is based on the equivalent health guideline for nitrate, as defined in a peer-reviewed scientific study by EWG. This guideline represents a one-in-one-million annual cancer risk level.

Radium, combined (-226 & -228)

Radium, combined (-226 & -228)

Radium is a radioactive element that causes bone cancer and other cancers. It can occur naturally in groundwater, and oil and gas extraction activities such as hydraulic fracturing can elevate concentrations.

The state and national averages were calculated using the averages of the contaminant measurements for each utility in 2012-2017. pCi/L = picocuries per liter

Health Risks

EWG applied the health guideline of 0.05 pCi/L, defined by the California Office of Environmental Health Hazard Assessment as a public health goal for radium-226, to radium-226 and radium-228 combined. This health guideline protects against cancer.

Filtering Options

Uranium

Uranium

Uranium is a known human carcinogen. The federal legal limit for uranium is set at 30 micrograms per liter (corresponding to parts per billion), but utilities can also report uranium in picocuries per liter (pCi/L), which is a measure of radioactivity in water. EWG translated all uranium results to pCi/L using a conversion factor developed by the EPA. With this conversion approach, the limit of 30 ppb corresponds to 20 pCi/L. Drinking water with this much uranium would cause more than 4.6 cancer cases in a population of 100,000. California set a public health goal for uranium of 0.43 pCi/L.

Uranium was found at 135 times above EWG's Health Guideline.

EWG Health Guideline

0.43 pCi/L or less

This Utility

58.18 pCi/L

Legal Limit

20 pCi/L

National Average

1.09 pCi/L

State Average

0.34 pCi/L

The state and national averages were calculated using the averages of the contaminant measurements for each utility in 2012-2017. pCi/L = picocuries per liter

Health Risks

The EWG Health Guideline of 0.43 pCi/L for uranium was defined by the California Office of Environmental Health Hazard Assessment as a public health goal, the level of a drinking water contaminant that does not pose a significant health risk. Three most common uranium isotopes are U-234, U-235 and U-238. All isotopes of uranium are radioactive, and the total radioactivity depends on the ratio of isotopes. This health guideline protects against cancer.

Pollution Sources

Industry

Naturally Occurring

Filtering Options

Reverse Osmosis

Ion Exchange

Includes chemicals detected in 2015-2017 for which annual utility averages exceeded the federal Maximum Contaminant Level (MCL); chemicals detected in 2015-2017 for which annual utility averages exceeded an EWG-selected health guideline established by a federal or state public health authority; chemicals detected under the EPA's Unregulated Contaminant Monitoring Rule (UCMR 3) program in 2013 to 2015 (and subsequent testing when available), for which annual utility averages exceeded a health guideline established by a federal or state public health authority; radiological contaminants detected between 2012 and 2017.

Pollution Sources

Filtering Options

Chromium (total)

Chromium (total)

Chromium is a naturally occurring metal, but industrial uses can elevate its levels in water. One form, hexavalent chromium, causes cancer. Total chromium is not a good indicator of the amount of hexavalent chromium in drinking water.

How your levels compare

This Utility

1.5 ppb

Legal Limit

100 ppb

National Average

0.587 ppb

State Average

0.304 ppb

NO EWG HEALTH GUIDELINE

The state and national averages were calculated using the averages of the contaminant measurements for each utility in 2015-2017. ppb = parts per billion

Take Action

Contact Your Local Official

One of the best ways to push for cleaner water is to hold accountable the elected officials who have a say in water quality – from city hall and the state legislature to Congress all the way to the Oval Office – by asking questions and demanding answers.